Sarah Maddocks

The mainstay of my research is to investigate processes involved in the host-pathogen relationship as infection ensues. This includes characterisation of bacterial adhesions, transcriptional regulators, quorum sensing and virulence gene expression. I also use biofilm models to ascertain the effect of individual host environmental stimuli, such as iron restriction, on the developing microbial community and use in vitro models to determine the impact this might have during infection.

A different branch of my research focuses on novel antimicrobials and their efficacy against healthcare associated pathogens. Part of these studies are concerned with identifying antimicrobial targets to determine a mode of action and facilitate most appropriate use within the clinical environment, with the aim of preventing the emergence of strains that might exhibit resistance. I have ongoing research collaborations with Dr. Kevin Purdy (University of Warwick), Dr Andrew Collins and Dr Michele Barbour (University of Bristol), and Prof Simon Andrews (Reading University).